


Laughing over Nobody

by TheAlwaysUsedTeaBag



Series: Super in Love [5]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kidnapping, M/M, Redemption, Superheroes, Superpowers, Supervillains
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-29 09:10:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15726354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAlwaysUsedTeaBag/pseuds/TheAlwaysUsedTeaBag
Summary: Prequel.Alexander finds himself kidnapped by a team of villains who want to get into Mr Nobody's good graces by doing him a favour. This favour consists of killing Alexander when they get Mr Nobody to come to them. But nothing appears to go as planned, much to Alexander's delight.





	Laughing over Nobody

When Alexander awoke, with a pain in his head that was rather familiar to him, a blunt object had had a rendezvous with his head, he noticed he was not in the familiar torture dungeon he knew, or the, by this point, much too familiar bed. This, he decided with a pit of dread opening up in his stomach, was not one of Aaron's bases. This was not good. Alexander remembered distinctly that he had been stuck in a predicament set by Aaron, in Aaron's base, complete with acid piranhas (piranhas that lived in _acid_ ) and everything, his chain being lowered and a camera set on him. Despite their current _arrangement_ , Aaron did not go easy on Alexander with these predicaments. But why then was he now in a different location, no longer in the predicament and not even on Aaron's property?

Okay, Alexander thought, this could be one of many different things, many of which very not ideal. But, he decided, it would be a rather safe bet to make to say that this was the base or storage house of another villain, super or not, what does it even matter. Alexander tried to shake his head, somehow shake the pain away, but he immediately noticed the straps holding him down and keeping him restrained. Anti-super bracelets, too. Well, damn. He tried to look around best as he could. It was definitely a storage house. Super high shelves and everything. Especially the lights high above him told him where he was. He only knew those sorta lights from storage houses, even Aaron had them.

Suddenly, a head appeared in his vision, the silhouette of one, as the light created a crown around it. He couldn't make it out, though the shape of the head, being perfectly round, seemed familiar to him, somewhat. He was sure he knew it, but then again, he has seen many villains in his time as a hero, so it was all a bit muddy. All he knew was that this person was not Aaron. Aaron always first showed himself with the same face, it would never be different when he'd first walk into the room. And this was just wrong.

"YO! HE'S WAKE!" the face above him yelled and Alexander flinched, the voice rung too loud in his ears.

"Is he? Already?" another voice, farther away and much more surprised, asked.

"With many times he be hit on head by Mr Nobody all time, it be no wonder he got steel head," the voice above him replied and Alexander cringed.

"Okay, either you hit me pretty hard on the head and my ears have been damaged, or your grammar is really that fucked up," he groaned and the head above him, he could finally make out the displeased features.

"Oi, don't judge him, mate," came a British voice from the complete opposite of the room, "Little bit'a bang on the head'll do that for you."

"Right, and what sort of clown are you supposed to be?" Alexander snapped, without seeing the guy.

"Oooh, I see his reputation holds true!" a female voice, sounding somewhat Scottish, came from the same direction as the British one.

"Right, so we got a regular Joe, a Brit, a Scott and someone with a banged up head. What a team. What the fuck do you want with me?" Alexander snapped, more annoyed than anything.

"Can we stuff his hole? He is beyond annoying," the voice he dubbed regular Joe complained.

"I'd rather not. You know, this is my air hole. Kinda important, I believe," Alexander grumbled.

"More the reason to stuff it," the Scottish woman scoffed.

"So, are we just gonna have a nice, kinky chat, or is something actually going to happen? Like introductions maybe? Intentions? Call me Skyfall, stupid name, I'm aware, I didn't choose it. My intentions were originally to have a nice evening in a torture dungeon, in a nice classic predicament, but I guess that's cancelled now. Who might you be?" Alexander struggled weakly in his restraints, testing them. They were strapped on him tightly, not good.

"None of your concern, Skyfall. You're right, that is a stupid name," the British voice laughed.

"Didn't choose it. So, who are you? Because, if this goes on, I'll have to give you names to call you, and you do not want me going around naming people," Alexander continued struggling weakly, trying to find a weakness in the bonds like he had tried so many times before in the predicaments Aaron had always set up for him. "Already named that guy there," he pointed with his eyes in the general direction of the regular Joe, "Named him regular Joe. Sounds like a regular Joe, so that shall henceforth be his name. What's yours, British voice?"

"Is that the name you'd give me?" the British voice scoffed with amusement.

"It will be if you don't give me a name fast. Oh, I feel it sticking," Alexander warned playfully.

"You might as well know, seeing as you'll die tonight-"

"I'll die? Tonight? No, what the fuck, there's a Doctor Who marathon tomorrow, let me live and watch that first, come on! British voice, you gotta leave me that! Do you know how far behind I am?! Season five! I am at season five, and this marathon goes from one to- wait which one was it?" Alexander interrupted.

"Okay, I'm gonna stuff his hole," the Scottish woman snapped and made her way over to Alexander, and he could see her short red hair in the peripheral of his eye.

"No, wait you," the one with the banged-up head put himself protectively over Alexander.

"Let me, you little-"

"No, wait! Important, right? He? Right? You said important not hurt! Not until Nobody!" he insisted and the Scottish woman scoffed.

"Eh, he is right. You did decide you'd not hurt him until you got a hold of Mr Nobody," regular Joe said.

"Alright, okay, I think I might understand some of what's going on here now. Let me guess... I am... a present!" Alexander exclaimed with confidence.

"Sort of," British voice confirmed.

"Cool, I still haven't got your names."

"You might as well know. I am the Monarch, you needn't know my powers-"

"I'm guessing being a super duper leader?" Alexander guessed.

"He leader, yes," the one with the banged-up head said helpfully.

"My guessing game is on point today, the fuck," Alexander laughed.

"Right, nevermind. This lovely Scottish lady, who is just itching to stuff some coal down your throat, is Pyronique-"

"A bit more than a redhead, a fiery redhead, that's cool," Alexander chuckled, "And fitting."

"Shut. Up," the Monarch snapped, "That one who's not left your side is known as Dash-"

"Dashing personality, I bet,"Alexander quipped and Dash actually laughed at this.

"Fastest mind, Sky. That's mine," Dash smiled down at him. Charming, Alexander thought, he already liked this one.

"Nice to meet you, Dash. And who's the regular Joe?" Alexander asked and there was a moment of awkward silence, before (he assumed) regular Joe made his way over to him, but not enough for Alexander to see him.

"Yeah, uh, hi... I'm Joe," Joe said and Alexander blinked.

"You. Are. Kidding. Holy fuck, you aren't... What the fuck," Alexander burst out laughing, "Oh my fucking- you're actually called Joe! I can't get over this, my guessing game _is_ on point today! I can't believe it."

Dash laughed with him, "Funny, right!" He seemed absolutely delighted by this. Yep, Alexander decided, he liked this one.

"This tea party has been nice and all-"

"Tea party? Where? I have been withheld a cuppa all this time!?" Alexander complained. "British hospitality my ass."

"When do you ever shut up!" the Monarch snapped.

"During the Doctor Who marathon. Well, not really, but I am quieter then. Well, except when people die. A piece of me dies with them. Rest in peace, Bannakaffalatta," Alexander sighed dramatically and Dash laughed beside him again.

"Okay, that is it," Pyronique snapped and stomped over to Alexander, flames covering her hands as her hair began flaring with fire licking at her scalp, "I am gonna melt your mouth shut!"

Dash put himself over Alexander again, Alexander was now grateful for his presence.

"Stop, you!" Dash exclaimed. "Important not hurt! Not hurt with fire! Leaves marks!"

"Oh, and what would you suggest, you ape?" Pyronique insulted, but Dash seemed to ignore it.

"If you want hurt, no leave marks," Dash reasoned.

"Okay, I liked you up until now, Dash, what the fuck, how dare you betray me so," Alexander complained, masking the slight fear. "Though, while we are on the topic of methods of hurting me without leaving marks, may I suggest electricity?"

"You would aide your tormentors?" the Monarch scoffed, more amused than anything.

"Well, I mean, I am used to stuff like this. But electricity does keep me on edge. If you gotta torture me, bloody do it right," Alexander rolled his eyes.

"Used to it?" Joe asked, his brow raised, something like worry in his voice, but not for Alexander, "What do you mean?"

"Do you think all that happens to me while captured is have a tea party with Mr Nobody? I mean, yeah, we had coffee sometimes, but it was always poisoned. Oh, a little tip, don't drink his coffee when he put milk into it. The poison's in the milk, just saying. But yeah, I know his torture dungeon intimately well, if you know what I mean," Alexander laughed freely, unnerving Joe. "Oh no, Mr Nobody could make me scream without even touching me. I don't expect you to get on his level."

"Uh... okay?" Joe mumbled, unsure, leaning over to Pyronique and whispering, "What the fuck is wrong with this guy?"

"He's Mr Nobody's nemesis and he's been tortured by him, what do you think is wrong with him," she snapped and Joe flinched, then Pyronique turned to Alexander, "So, what's that mean? You're used to all methods of torture? Cos, I know Mr Nobody is nothing if not thorough in all he does."

"He does know my body better than I do," Alexander snorted, especially when Pyronique's eyes narrowed in confusion, unsure of the implication of his words, "But, like I said, electricity still keeps me on edge. No guarantee it'll make me scream, not with your untrained hands, but it is still bothersome."

"You  
are an oddball, you are," the Monarch scoffed, finally deciding to step closer. He pressed a loud button of some kind and the table that Alexander was strapped on shifted so that he could finally look at the people who had captured him. "But what can one expect from the nemesis of Mr Nobody but insanity. I do wonder what he's done to you to make you like this."

"Excuse me? I'll have you know I am very much still sane. Weirdly so, even! I mean, that's what the boss told me, that I'm way too sane for the stuff I've been through. But, you know, same result! Still sane," Alexander defended himself, making the Monarch scoff.

The Monarch was wearing a mask covering his entire head, like one of those masks one would expect a cartoon wrestler to wear. It was red, just pure read, and there was a small yellow crown printed onto the forehead. The rest of his costume looked a lot more comfortable, though it was just a simple looking suit. It didn't even look expensive. Alexander found himself disappointed, he had expected something fancier from a guy who called himself the Monarch. Pyronique was clad in orange, an awful shade of orange that made Alexander cringe and want to look away. The colour did not look good on her, and he forced his eyes away from the trainwreck of a super suit that would have Edna Mode vomit from being a mile away from it and not even want to touch it, even to tear it apart to fix it. He blinked and looked at Dash, perfectly round head, Alexander saw the scars covering his entire head, burnt, stitched, several kinds of scars. It wasn't the prettiest sight, but neither was Alexander's body, covered in very similar scars, but Aaron never judged him for it, so Alexander supposed he had no right to Judge Dash, though he is a villain, for his. Otherwise, Dash was clad in a lab coat, under which he had a simple black sweatshirt and blue pants. Joe, on the other hand, was completely clad in civilian clothes, and Alexander had the feeling that either Joe was pulled into this against his will, perhaps through a debt or plain kidnapping, or he had some relation to one of them and thus felt compelled to be part of this. Bad for him then, Alexander's memory, at least concerning faces, was brilliant, he'd know this face the second he'd see it again, and Joe would be arrested. Well, if Alexander survives this whole ordeal, that is, which might not be the case, now that he's seen them all.

"Uh, hi," Alexander said, moving his fingers that weren't restrained as his wrists in a mock wave, "Nice to meet you."

The Monarch held up a device, one Alexander had seen and felt Aaron use on him many times before, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember that stupid thing's name. There were two prongs at the top, but they weren't actually sharp, but they would be uncomfortable against his skin. Alexander noted, in a moment of confusion as well as relief, that he was not naked, not one bit. Which, on one hand, meant that this would not hurt as much and meant that these people did not know his identity and he was spared the humiliation of being naked in front of these people, but on the other hand it confused him, because these people could not have been able to capture Alexander _while_ he was on Aaron's property - which would speak for their strategic intelligence, at least - but then not have him naked to be tortured if this was their goal, at least eventually.

The Monarch approached him with the device - what was that thing called! - and stabbed Alexander with it, and electricity crashed through him painfully, like the first time he had discovered his powers and had accidentally hit himself with lightning, though the Monarch's device was by far not as intense, it still hurt, though. Alexander kept his teeth and lips closely shut together as well as his eyes as his body tensed and convulsed with the electricity flowing through him.

The Monarch pulled the device back, pleased at Alexander's pained expression. Alexander gasped and breathed heavily, his heart beating quickly with pain and adrenaline.

"Anything smug or funny to say now?" the Monarch smirked. Alexander looked at him and, after a moment of silence, he grinned.

"I got this feelin' inside my bones. It goes electric, wavy when I turn it on," he sung and ended it with a laugh. Joe looked at him in surprise while Dash raised a confused brow and Pyronique and the Monarch snarled at him angrily. Then Joe realised something with a groan.

"Oh my gosh, you actually planned this, didn't you!" he groaned and Alexander burst out into laughter.

"That you didn't see that coming is disappointing. You really should take a few lessons in how to be a proper villain with a witty nemesis. Mr Nobody'd be a good teacher. His villain game is as on point as my guessing game tonight, but, like, permanently, you know?" Alexander grinned.

Joe looked at him funny, while Dash just smiled innocently and the Monarch and Pyronique just seemed annoyed.

"How has he not killed you yet?" Pyronique honestly wondered, shaking her head in annoyed disbelief.

"He is entertaining, I find," a voice, all too familiar to Alexander, spoke, eerily calm, from behind the small team of villains. Alexander grinned as the team swirled around, surprised. Joe, especially, had fear coursing through his eyes and veins.

"Hey, Mr Nobody! How ya doing!" Alexander smiled, actually sort of relieved to see him, even though he didn't know what he was doing here now.

"Oh, I'm doing rather well, however, I find myself in a sour mood," Aaron said and stepped closer, though his walk was slow, yet intimidating.

"Yeah, same here. Can you believe it, they want to kill me tonight! Where tomorrow is the Doctor Who marathon! Can you believe that!" Alexander exclaimed and Aaron smiled, amused.

"Mr Nobody! We, uh, captured your nemesis for you!" Pyronique said, slowly gaining her confidence back, although this was difficult, even for her, as Aaron, Mr Nobody, was a very, very intimidating figure. Mr Nobody looked at her and she gulped.

"And why is that?" he asked, calmly, eerily calm.

"Well, you seemed to have troubles actually finishing him off," the Monarch noted, "So we thought we'd give you a hand."

"And how, pray tell, have you gained access to the base I had kept this one in?" Mr Nobody asked with a slight growl to his voice.

"Well, you remember the team up with Dash? He has a photographic memory, and he remembered everything he had seen in the base, so it was rather easy," Pyronique explained, trying to be casual.

"I see," Aaron seemed unsurprised by this. He pulled out the MEG. Alexander's eyes widened as he saw it, remembering the device.

"Sir?" Joe asked meekly, "What is that?"

"And who are you?" Aaron asked instead.

"He's Joe!" Alexander exclaimed helpfully.

"Y-yeah, uh, I'm-"

"And what are you doing here?" Aaron raised a brow.

"Dash brought his husband," the Monarch said with a gulp, looking nervously at the MEG in Aaron's hands, who fiddled with it while looking rather unimpressed at the team.

"Ah, yes, I remember, you sent me an invitation to the wedding. We haven't been formally introduced," he nodded at Joe and turned to the others, "However, you are telling me that you broke into one of my bases, with knowledge you had previously acquired, interrupted a scheme of mine, kidnapped my nemesis and brought him here, into a storage house _in the city_?" he asked, his voice becoming louder at the end. "And you doubt my ability to actually keep the situation with him under control?"

"Well, yes, you see-"

"What sort of clowns are you!? Had it ever occurred to you that I may be planning something with him, instead of killing him!" Aaron exclaimed with an angry growl, making the team flinch. "No, of course, not. I could not have the patience for such a scheme, now could I?"

"Sir, please," Joe tried but Aaron aimed the MEG at him and pulled the trigger. A beam of light came from the MEG and went directly into Joe's eyes. Joe's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell over, fainting. Dash yelped and jumped to his husband, catching him before he could hit his head on the hard floor.

"What have you done?!" the Monarch yelled, rushing to Joe and Dash's sides. Dash was panicking, holding his husband close and trying to find out what's wrong with him, endlessly relieved when he found a pulse and heard him breathing faintly, he almost cried tears of joy and relief at this.

"Simple. Memory eraser gun, call her MEG for short. I put in the command, I shoot, you forget. Whatever I choose for you to forget," he said with an eerie calmness.

"What he forget!" Dash panicked as he cradled his husbands head to his chest.

"Just today. Though, I could make him forget more. Everything, to be precise. Or, I could make him forget _you_ ," Aaron warned. "Just you, Dash. He won't remember a thing about you, or how you relate to him. Poor Joe will think you kidnapped him, and you know his fighting spirit. He'll know you're a villain, he'll know and he'll hate you. No, not just hate. He will _fear_ you. If I know one thing about you, Dash, is that your biggest fear is precisely this: your husband fearing you for what you do. Because no matter how much he might say he loves you, it nags at you, day and night, perhaps the next moment he will find out something about you he hasn't yet, and what he may find in the basement, clumsily put there by you, will terrify him, make him doubt everything he knew about you, make him _fear_ you. And I can make it happen. Right here, and right now- with one. Little. Push."

"Don't dare. Don't dare!" Dash screamed, holding his unconscious husband protectively to his chest, tears of fear and despair welling in his eyes. Alexander gulped. He was just glad that he rarely had to see this very side of Aaron anymore these days. Sure there were still moments  
when this side shone through but, he found, he was rarely really terrified of Aaron anymore. Could Aaron be going soft on him? he wondered.

"Well, then. You'll let my nemesis go then. Shame on you for putting a damper on my plans, have you any idea how much progress in my plan I've lost thanks to you? Months! Months of my time and resources!" Aaron growled. Alexander frowned, but since it looked like he was not going to die tonight and would actually live to see another Doctor Who marathon, he wasn't about to complain.

The Monarch stared at Aaron, angry, confused, dumbfounded and very afraid, the latter emotion outnumbering all. He gulped and stood up, raising his hands in the air in defeat. He knew there was no way anyone could negotiate with Mr Nobody, not when he was already this pissed off at you. What had been intended as a gift that might strengthen their alliance had turned out to have been the absolute worst decision he had ever made in his entire life.

"What do you want to do with him, Mr Nobody?" the Monarch dared to ask.

"Use your head. Or don't, as you can see nothing good can come off it. I assume you brought these people together as a team? Sans Joe, of course. Poor Joe, dragged into this whole mess because of you Dash. He must really love you," Aaron growled at them and the Monarch gulped in fear and began trembling. While it was only a memory eraser gun, seeing as it would make them faint implied that Aaron could do anything to them, especially restrain them against their will and make them suffer through his torture dungeon like his own nemesis, who this had driven to insanity (because that's all this could have been, the way this man makes jokes about the torture and compliments Mr Nobody on his methods, implying something sexual between them, where any sane hero would shudder at the very notion and tremble in fear, this hero just laughed. He must be insane, the Monarch decided.) and make them as mad as him.

"All I can think of is make him a mindless servant. B-but you, aren't you driving him insane? I couldn't sense any mind-altering... methods having been used on him!" the Monarch trembled.

"I really don't care. Just let him go and you'll forget this ever happened," Aaron said, pointing the MEG at the Monarch.

"We forget this ever happened," the Monarch echoed and nodded, "Okay, okay."

The Monarch slowly pressed a button on his remote and the restraints on Alexander, except for the anti-super bracelets, let go of him and he fell to the ground with a soft thud and small yelp, practically unheard.

"Very good," Aaron smiled and shot the Monarch with the MEG, then Pyronique when she tried to attack him, and finally, he aimed it at Dash.

"Please!" Dash pleaded.

"Don't try to fool me, Dash. I know you were the one who was actually behind all this. And it wasn't to kill him for me and do me a favour. Oh no. You wanted to experiment on my nemesis, find out his weaknesses, his strengths, and how to break him. I know you do nigh the same with your husband when he is asleep," Aaron spat and Dash gasped in surprise, his eyes wide, "Oh yes, I know all about it. You husband is not just a normal person, not really. He is something a bit rarer, isn't he? A late super. A super with his powers lying dormant up until even adulthood. And he's not dead. You and I know that powers might kill a late super if they don't channel it at an early age, the statistics do say that none of those whose powers haven't manifested in childhood to late teenhood are guaranteed to die when they reach that magical number of 21. But not him. Not poor Joe. Poor, oblivious, 26-year-old Joe. And you tested him, you know he's a late super. And that's why you'd married him, initially. But then, oh dear, your heart said something one day, instead of being quiet and indifferent. You'd fallen in love with your project. Let me tell you, from part-time evil scientist to evil scientist: That is the opposite of what you want to do."

"I know!" Dash cried out, "Could help it? NO! Love him, not right, but I do. Love him... so much... please, not hurt him."

Aaron shook his head, his expression soft.

"Never said I would. This is just a lesson for you not to mess with my stuff. However, there is a reason why your husband is not dead, one you never thought of," Aaron replied and Dash looked up at him, tears in his eyes, confused.

"What? Reason? What mean?" he asked, trembling as he held Joe yet closer to his chest.

"Well, it's got something to do with you," Aaron said, his voice was now casual, non-threatening, but Dash knew better than to let his guard down, whereas Alexander knew this voice meant exactly that, that it was safe to put his guard down (unless it was while drinking coffee). "Basically, when your head got banged up those years ago, it opened something. Got no name for it, sorry, but that's how it is with these new discoveries. Basically, what happened was that your dormant super gene got activated, in one sense of the term. You are not fully super, just one part of your genes was forcefully activated by that bang on the head, because that pipe had been laced with some radioactive material. But, the thing is, while Joe is, by all means, a miracle, he would be dead by now, had it not been for you."

"What? What mean, Nobody! What mean!" Dash yelled, clinging to his husband.

"Well, it's really quite simple. You are, to some mild and non-lethal degree, heck, even non-harmful degree, radioactive. Your head, at least, because of the pipe and because of your activated supergene. And you married Joe when he was 24, three years after he should have died, which makes him a miracle, because you met him when he was 22, and he survived for a year longer than he should have, and that is a miracle. But after that, it was all you. You with your plan of making him fall in love with you, so you may marry and study him in peace and with little to no resistance as well as keep him close, so naturally, you stuck around him as much as possible, until he fell in love. But, remember, your head is radioactive, and with you constantly being near him and thinking about him, a lot of that radioactivity went to him. But it didn't harm him, oh no. No, you see, his power would have been absorbing the powers of others, making him immune to all superpowers. But since it was late and never actually manifested, it had turned on Joe. His late power would and should have killed him, eating him whole. But then there was the radioactivity that your head constantly emitted, because of your forcefully activated supergene. So instead of eating Joe's life and energy away, it turned to feast on your endless supply of radioactivity," Aaron explained, "Basically, you're keeping him alive. Isn't that romantic?"

"Certainly sounds the part," Alexander said, "Very romantic, I'd watch the movie."

"I know you would," Aaron said, with a fond smile and a shake of his head.

"Nobody... I keep him... alive?" Dash trembled.

"Basically, yeah. Now, isn't that a lovely thing, though? You could even argue it's your love keeping him alive, if you wanna stretch definitions. I'd be willing to," Aaron chuckled.

"Sap!" Alexander exclaimed with a grin. Dash looked between them, connecting dots and looking back at Aaron.

"He your Joe?" he asked and Aaron looked genuinely surprised, but he ended up smiling whereas Alexander was left surprised and didn't return from it, especially when a blush crossed Aaron's cheeks.

"Well, not quite," Aaron shrugged and Dash looked at him with understanding.

"I see... What happen now?" he asked.

"You gotta forget any of this ever happened," Aaron replied and when he saw Dash panicking, he added, "If you don't kick up more of a fuss, I will give you a call pretending I made a breakthrough on your studies and I will inform you. And I'll even make sure your husband makes it home safe with you in his bed, deal?"

"You too kind for villain, Nobody," Dash reluctantly smiled and nodded.

"Yeah? Well, you'll forget I ever was," Aaron replied and shot Dash with the MEG. Dash fainted and softly fell onto his husband. The position looked far from comfortable, but it would do for now.

Alexander looked at Aaron a bit uneasy.

"Ask, Alexander, I can feel the questions burning on your tongue," Aaron sighed and looked at Alexander, finally putting the MEG into her holster by his hip.

"What exactly are you doing here? I mean, I am grateful for the, uh, rescue? But... why?" Alexander asked.

"Honestly?" Aaron asked, "I'm... not sure..."

"What, you don't know?" Alexander asked, honestly surprised, "There is something _Mr Nobody_ doesn't know? I never thought I'd see the day."

"You are in no position to mock, not after last week," Aaron scoffed.

"Last week?" Alexander was confused, he didn't know what Aaron meant.

"Right, MEG, I forgot. Aria and Smoker, colleagues from a sister organisation of yours, had assumed I'd kidnapped you and had come to rescue you, and Aria had learned a new trick, apparently the very hour before arriving at my base, that I was unaware of at that crucial point in time. You sort of saved me from an attack that would have stunned me and would have left me open to more attacks, needlessly complicating the battle, and you actually incapacitated them with your lightning... I believe the favour is now repaid," Aaron nodded at the end of his own explanation. Alexander couldn't help but smile.

"Come on, admit it!" he grinned and Aaron raised a brow, playing innocent and naive.

"Whatever do you mean, Alexander?" he asked, turning around and walking towards the exit, hands crossed behind his back. Alexander followed.

"Dash asked you if I'm your Joe, and you said not quite! That means, to some degree I am!" Alexander exclaimed triumphantly.

"I do not recall that I keep you or you me alive, do you?" he challenged.

"Well, we did rescue  
each other," Alexander pointed out with a grin.

"Fair point," Aaron admitted and Alexander looked at him surprised.

"Wait, you mean that!? Hey!" he said and grabbed Aaron's upper arm to stop him and turn him around, forcing him to look at him. "What does that mean?"

"I admitted you have a point," Aaron stated and Alexander could just tell there was more to it and Aaron was either mocking him or testing him.

"I know that, but I mean what it implies! You just implied that you and I..." Alexander stopped himself from saying more.

"Alexander, you have to say it, or I won't be sure about what you mean by that," Aaron's brows furrowed, playing unimpressed.

"You implied that you and I... could be... an item... together and..." Alexander gulped, it felt like there was something caught in his throat. He was really nervous for some reason.

"Lovers?" Aaron finished for him and Alexander nodded.

"That's what you implied... Please don't lead me on about this, I... I really do like you, and I do believe that we could work out, somehow. One of us, or both, have to... change this aspect of our lives and... I mean... I would be willing to-"

"No," Aaron interrupted, "That, I absolutely will not and cannot allow."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Alexander was taken by surprise.

"It's like you said. The world's not a fair place, that's why we gotta make it fair," Aaron smiled.

"No way..." Alexander gasped, "No, you're kidding me right now."

"Of course, I couldn't let it all go right now. There needs to be a transition and a triggering event. Perhaps an explosion. We can blow up one of my bases that are well-known amongst villains and claim it's my most important one. That would give me a reason to go on the down low and stay there for an indefinite amount of time. No one will question it. No one would dare to," Aaron grinned and Alexander found himself grinning with him.

"Have I ever told you that you're brilliant?" Alexander hugged Aaron suddenly, who gasped in surprise at the affection.

"Only after sex," Aaron quipped.

"Well, you are brilliant during it, too," Alexander wiggled his eyebrows and Aaron laughed.

He laughed so freely and heartily like only Alexander could make him do. It was really something special, and he was only too willing to give up villainy if it meant he could have this so much more often without any guilt or the tension that their respective jobs cause between them.

"Hey, you could even start working at the organisation! I bet they'd love to have you," Alexander kissed Aaron's forehead lovingly, he already loved getting to do this.

"Somehow, I doubt it," Aaron shook his head, his smile never leaving his face.

"No, but it would be so good! Because if there's something weird happening, ever, like a villain we don't know, and nobody knows, I can say, Nobody knows! Because you know everything!" Alexander laughed, but Aaron furrowed his brows.

"You'd want to tell them the truth about me?" Aaron asked.

"Well, yeah, they're my team, like my family and... I never lied to them about something like this. I mean, this isn't about stealing the last pizza slice, or the last Pitt Cola," this had Aaron chuckling, "This is a big deal... I want them to see that I was right, that everyone, no matter who, no matter what they've done in the past, can change for the better. And they need to see it with their own eyes.

"I..." Aaron sighed, "I see what you mean... Alright. I shall introduce myself as Aaron, formerly known as Mr Nobody, now reformed villain because of his boyfriend."

"I like that," Alexander smiled.

"Boyfriend?" Aaron asked.

"You don't know?" Alexander asked with a smile and a raised brow. "Or does Nobody know this, and you, Aaron, don't?"

And Aaron laughed. Wooed into submission indeed.

Neither of them knew what would lay ahead, what adventures awaited them, whether they would shed tears of sadness or tears of joy, or none at all. They didn't know what obstacles lay ahead, how they would overcome them, and what kind of people it would turn them into, what kind of people they were turning each other into. They didn't know where this feeling in their stomachs would lead them to, or how long it would glue them to stay together, perhaps only for a year, or perhaps to their graves, and while they were sure that, in one way or another, they would surely be each others death and demise, they couldn't _know_ for sure.

_Nobody knows_ , but he is dead, leaving Aaron and Alexander to find out themselves.


End file.
